CHEST, Chinese Thoracic Society partner to unify specialties of pulmonary and critical care in China

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) and the Chinese Thoracic Society have formally agreed to collaborate to develop and launch fellowship programs in pulmonary and critical care medicine in China.

This joint initiative seeks to unify the specialties of pulmonary and critical care in China to improve patient care. In the past three decades in the United States, the fields of pulmonary and critical care medicine have evolved into the combined subspecialty of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM).

In 2012, the leadership of the Chinese Thoracic Society proposed a partnership to collaborate with CHEST in establishing PCCM as a recognized subspecialty in Chinese medicine and to take the lead in critical care throughout China. The partnership will rely on the experience of CHEST clinicians to address issues of integrated ICU programs, leadership within critical care medicine, and training for subspecialists.

"We look forward to assisting the Chinese Thoracic Society to develop and launch this vital initiative. Currently, ICUs in China are often organized as general ICUs or as areas that focus on diseases of specific organ systems, and physician staff ranges from recent medical school graduates to skilled intensivists. Pulmonary physicians play varied roles, from ICU director to consultant, to no role at all. This collaboration will address, define, and prepare Chinese clinicians in the PCCM subspecialty and will have a profound impact on patient care," said Darcy Marciniuk, MD, FCCP, and Immediate Past President of the American College of Chest Physicians.

A steering committee representing both organizations has been established to design training programs with standardized curricula and requirements for trainees and faculty. Programs are estimated to begin in late 2014.